Read more about the Guardian’s response to its adverts being inadvertently placed next to extremist material

Hello

I wanted to let you know that last week the Guardian withdrew all of its advertising from Google and YouTube after it discovered that some of its ads, including for the membership scheme, were being inadvertently placed next to extremist material.

A media agency, acting on the Guardian’s behalf, used Google Display Network, which involves an automated system known as programmatic trading.

David Pemsel, the Guardian’s chief executive, wrote to Google to say it was “completely unacceptable” for its advertising to be misused in this way.

Google and YouTube promised to make significant changes to its policies to deal with the problem, but other companies, advertising firms and government departments have also since pulled their adverts, or are considering doing so.

It is another worrying example of the challenges we face as a progressive news organisation in a fast-changing digital age.